Take small steps to improve communication
Laura Burch is the marketing manager at JM Coull, Inc., a construction management, design-build, and general contracting firm based in Maynard.
We all know communication is important in our professional lives. Yet a lot of us still seem to struggle with consistently and openly communicating in the workplace, which is a big problem since we rely on critical information to do our jobs well.
Many of us know we need to get better at it, but with everything we have to juggle throughout the day, improving communication probably isn't at the top of the list. It can be hard to break patterns, but starting with simple steps can help.
1. Be aware.
In a lot of instances, it simply just doesn't occur to folks that they should share certain information with particular individuals. Our work days are jam-packed, and we have a million things to get done, so we're not always firing on all cylinders. We usually have good intentions, but either forget to share information with someone, or are maybe unware that a specific person has been brought into the fold. Being more mindful of who needs to know what in the workplace can help alleviate this issue. If forgetfulness is the problem, make a daily list of the most important items you need to share with your colleagues each morning.
2. Exercise restraint.
We may think we over-communicate, but chances are, we're probably at the right level of communication. The exception to this is the “Reply all” button in email. It serves its purposes when we truly need to let a lot of folks know what's going on, but I think most of us can agree that there are times when it's really overused.
3. Talk more, email less.
Many of us use email as our main form of communication with coworkers, clients, vendors, etc. It's quick and easy, and it provides written documentation. But sometimes, it's in our best interest not to use email, but to call or have an in-person discussion instead. Obviously, some things just cannot (and should not) be relayed in an email, particularly sensitive or confidential information, but we should challenge ourselves to rely less on email regardless of the message. With all of the email we receive each day, it's nice to have face-to-face conversations (and it usually gets us the answers we need faster).
4. Get creative.
Corporate newsletters are a great way to share news within the company. At JM Coull, we have a quarterly newsletter featuring project updates, industry trends, new hires and promotions, employee news, and company-wide announcements. Everyone in the company is encouraged to contribute. The newsletter is distributed to all employees, as well as our clients and business associates. Though this obviously doesn't replace day-to-day communication, it does do a great job of keeping everyone informed at a 30,000-foot level, which is particularly useful for our field personnel who are on project sites most of the time. Intranet sites and internal blogs can be effective methods for sharing information.
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